Clutch



L. V. MADDOX CLUTCH Filed Dec. 16, 1938 April 2, 1940. j

3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR.

ATTORNEYS.

April 2, 1940- L. v. MADDOX CLUTCH Filed Dec. 16, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEYS.

April 1940- 1.. v. MADDOX 2,195,779

CLUTCH Filed Dec. 16, 1938 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 W M R ATTORNEYS.

, Patented Apr. 2, 1940 U ITED. STATES PATENT OFFICE The device forming the subject matter of this application is a clutch, adapted primarily but not exclusively to be used in connecting the driving and driven parts of a shaft on an automobile.

The invention aims to provide a device of the class described in which there will be no dropping of the load, in changing the power ratio, on ascending a hill either going from a lower ratio into a higher ratio or vice-versa. The invention aims to supply a device of the class described which will work smoothly, avoid the gears of a transmission, and, in general, replace by a simple mechanism, more complicated parts in use heretofore.

It is Within the province of the disclosure to improve generally and to enhance the utility of devices of that type to which the present invention appertains.

With the above and other objects in view, which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed, may be made within the scope of what is claimed, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings:

in accordance with the invention;

Fig. 2 is a section on the line 22 ofFig. 1;

I Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a section on the line 2-4 of Fig. 1, but showing the parts shifted from the positions which they occupy in Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view showing one of the sleeve valves;

Fig. 7 is an elevation of the cap.

The numeral I marks a drive shaft, for instance, the shaft of an internal combustion engine. A fly wheel 2 may be secured at 3 to the drive shaft and is j'ournaled in a crank disk 4, received in one side of a casing 5. At 6 there is shown a crank disk received in the opposite side of the casing 5 and carried by a driven shaft 1. An intermediate crank disk 8 is located between the crank disks 4 and 6, and is connected thereto by crank pins 9. The fly wheel 2 is detachably secured at It to one side of the casing 5. A cap H is housed within the hub of the fly wheel 2 and is connected at l2 to'the drive shaft l. The cap II is detachably secured at M to one side of the casing 5. The casing 5, sometimes,

Fig. 1 shows in elevation, a device constructed 7 takes the place of the fly wheel 2, and the construction, obviously, is such that the fly wheel can be employed or omitted, as desired.

The casing 5 includes an outer annular shell l5 and an inner annular shell it, there being a circumferential passage ll between the shells. The outer ends of cylinders l8 are connected to the inner shell l6 and the cylinders open into the passage Ill. The inner ends'of the cylinders l8 are connected to the hub IQ of the casing 5. The cylinders It are joined together, and to the inner annular shell l6, and to the hub 19, by webs 20.

' Access is had to the cylinders [8 by means of cap plates 23, detachably secured to the outer shell lb of the casing 5, one of the cap plates having a filling plug 24, whereby oil or the like may be introduced into the space H between the shells It and I5 of the casing.

Sleeve valves 26 are mounted for reciprocation at the will of an operator, in the cylinders 18, the sleeve valves having spaced lugs 21 or the like, which extend outwardly through openings 28 in the cylinders l8. Bell crank levers 29 are fulcrumed on brackets 30, carried by the cylinders 18, the bell crank levers, at one end, being engaged between the lugs H of the sleeve valves 26, the opposite ends of the bell crank levers being engaged with a collar 3! on the shaft 1, the shaft 7 being mounted to turn in the collar. The collar 3! is slid longitudinally of the shaft 1 by any suitable means, such as a shaft 35, mounted to turn in brackets 33 on .the casing, the shaft being operated by a suitable part 36, under the control of an operator, and located at one end of the shaft 35. The shaft 35 has arms 34, pivotally engaged with the shift collar 3!.

Pistons 3'! are mounted to reciprocate in the sleeve valves 26 and are pivoted to the outer end of pitmans 38,, having their inner ends pivotally mounted on the crank pins 9 which connect the intermediate crank disk 8 with the crank disks 4 and 6.

The operation of the device will be understood readily from what has been stated hereinbefore.

The sleeve valves 26 may be shifted bya train of parts including the bell crank levers 29, the collar 35, and the shaft 35 and parts associated with it. In this way, the sleeve valves 26 may be moved inwardly or outwardly, so as to close, 7 more or less, the passage ll which exists between the shells l5 and it of the casing 5. A circulation of the oil in the passage is impeded to a greater or less extent, the pistons 31 are operated accordingly, and, by means of the pitmans 38, an I operative driving connection is effected between the shafts 'l and I, a gear shift being replaced by a simpler and more perfectly working structure.

The device is smooth in operation, will transmit motion without jar, is simple in construction, and will be found thoroughly advantageous for the ends in view.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed is:

In a power transmitting device, a casing provided with a circumferential passage for the circulation of liquid, the casing including cylinders connected at their outer ends to the inner wall of the passage and communicating throughout 

